Congestion clock

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for presenting time-based and location-based traffic condition information to motorists. Traffic condition information is collected to create historical time-based and location-based traffic data, which is displayed, in one embodiment, on a congestion clock. The traffic condition data includes, in various embodiments, speed data, volume data, occupancy data, and travel time for a specific section of roadway.

1 . An apparatus for collecting and presenting traffic data, said apparatus comprising: 
 at least one road sensor collecting a set of traffic data from at least one lane of a road;    a processor storing said set of traffic data and creating a set of historical time-based data; and    an output from said processor, said output showing a representation of said historical time-based data, said representation of said historical time-based data including an outside circle and an inner circle defining at least one annular band, said representation including a legend representing a plurality of selected times, said representation including at least one indicium corresponding to a time of traffic congestion and located within said at least one annular band.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said output is presented on at least one of a printed map, a client computer, and a sign.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said output includes an hour hand rotating about a center of said outside circle, said hour hand indicating a current time whereby a temporal relationship between said at least one indicium and said current time is indicated.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further including a means for indicating a current time whereby a temporal relationship between said at least one indicium and said current time is indicated.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said at least one indicium includes information indicating an amount of congestion.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said set of historical time-based data correlates data representative of at least one traffic speed, traffic volume, traffic occupancy, and travel time for a section of said road to a time of day.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said set of historical time-based data correlates data representative of at least one traffic speed, traffic volume, traffic occupancy, and travel time for a section of said road to a time of day for each day of a week.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said processor determines a reliability of said set of historical time-based data, and said output includes indicia of said reliability.  
   
   
       9 . At least one computer programmed to execute a process for collecting and presenting traffic data, said process comprising the steps of: 
 acquiring a set of sensor data from a plurality of road sensors;    creating a set of historical time-based data from said set of sensor data; and    outputting said set of historical time-based data.    
   
   
       10 . The process of  claim 9  wherein said processor further executes a step of determining a reliability of said set of historical time-based data and said step of outputting includes presenting indicia of said reliability.  
   
   
       11 . The process of  claim 19  wherein said processor further executes a step of determining a reliability of said set of historical time-based data, said reliability corresponding to a comparison of said set of historical time-based data to a set of real-time data.  
   
   
       12 . A method for collecting and presenting traffic data, said method comprising the steps of: 
 acquiring a set of sensor data from a plurality of road sensors monitoring a selected section of a road;    creating a set of historical time-based data from said set of sensor data; and    producing a graphical representation of said set of historical time-based data such that a traffic condition for a specific time for said selected section of said road is indicated, said graphical representation including at least one congestion clock.    
   
   
       13 . The process of  claim 12  wherein said graphical representation includes an indicium delineating said traffic condition for said selected section of said road for a specific time period, said indicium located within at least one annular band, said indicium bounded at one end in said at least one annular band at a first location corresponding to a start time, said indicium bounded at an opposite end in said at least one annular band at a second location corresponding to a stop time.  
   
   
       14 . The process of  claim 12  wherein said further executes the steps of 
 accepting an input from a user;    retrieving a selected set of historical time-based data;    sending said selected set of historical time-based data to a client for display.    
   
   
       15 . The process of  claim 14  further including a step of determining reliability of said selected set of historical time-based data by comparing said selected set of historical time-based data to a set of real-time data.  
   
   
       16 . The process of  claim 12  wherein said processor further executes a step of determining a reliability of said set of historical time-based data and said graphical representation includes indicia of said reliability.  
   
   
       17 . The process of  claim 12  wherein said processor further executes a step of determining a reliability of said set of historical time-based data, said reliability corresponding to a comparison of said set of historical time-based data to a set of real-time data.  
   
   
       18 . The process of  claim 12  further including indicating a current time by rotating an hour hand about said graphical representation.  
   
   
       19 . An apparatus for presenting traffic data, said apparatus comprising: 
 a sign having a surface,    a first perimeter identified on said surface,    a legend representing a plurality of selected times;    at least one annular band defined within said first perimeter; and    an indicium delineating a traffic condition for a selected section of road for a specific time period, said indicium located within said at least one annular band, said indicium bounded at one end in said at least one annular band at a first location corresponding to a start time, said indicium bounded at an opposite end in said at least one annular band at a second location corresponding to a stop time.    
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein said traffic condition represents a set of historical time-based data derived from monitoring said selected section of road.  
   
   
       21 . The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein said traffic condition represents a level of congestion on said selected section of road.  
   
   
       22 . The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein said sign is printed on a map and said sign is associated with said selected section of road displayed on said map.  
   
   
       23 . The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein said sign is attached to a support and is adapted for mounting adjacent said selected section of road.  
   
   
       24 . The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein said sign is presented on a client computer and said sign is associated with said selected section of road on said client computer.  
   
   
       25 . The apparatus of  claim 19  further including an hour hand rotating about a center of said first perimeter, said hour hand indicating a current time whereby a temporal relationship between said indicium and said current time is indicated.  
   
   
       26 . The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein said traffic condition correlates data representative of at least one traffic speed, traffic volume, traffic occupancy, and travel time for said selected section of road to a time of day.  
   
   
       27 . The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein said traffic condition correlates data representative of at least one traffic speed, traffic volume, traffic occupancy, and travel time for said selected section of road to a time of day for each day of a week.  
   
   
       28 . The apparatus of  claim 19  further including a reliability indicium whereby said reliability indicium corresponds to a comparison of a set of historical time-based data to a set of real-time data.  
   
   
       29 . The apparatus of  claim 19  further including a means for determining said traffic condition.  
   
   
       30 . A system for presenting traffic data, said system comprising: 
 a means for representing a day graphically; and    a means for representing a traffic condition associated with a specific section of roadway at a specific time.    
   
   
       31 . The apparatus of  claim 30  further including a means for determining said traffic condition.  
   
   
       32 . The apparatus of  claim 30  further including a means for indicating a current time.  
   
   
       33 . The apparatus of  claim 30  further including a means for displaying user selected data.  
   
   
       34 . A method in a computer system for communicating traffic forecast data to a user, comprising: 
 presenting a first prompt to the user for inputting one of a date and a day of week;    retrieving a set of historical time-based traffic data;    sending said set of historical time-based traffic data to the user; and    presenting said set of historical time-based traffic data to the user.    
   
   
       35 . The apparatus of  claim 34  further including a step of presenting a second prompt to the user for inputting one of a time and a time of day.  
   
   
       36 . The apparatus of  claim 34  further including a step of determining a reliability of said set of historical time-based traffic data by comparing said set of historical time-based traffic data to a set of real-time data.